Tag Archives: aerospace

“Happiness is nothing more than good health and a bad memory.”–Albert Schweitzer

Ah memory. How fleeting and ephemeral–as well as inaccurate–it can be. Apparently, now, it can be transferred or even implanted falsely. Westworld may be closer than we think.

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“Space in general gave us GPS – that’s not specifically NASA, but its investments in space.”–
Neil DeGrasse Tyson

Maybe NDT is right–NASA didn’t directly give us GPS as in Global Positioning System. But they are going to directly give us–or at least their astronauts–GPS as in Galactic Positioning System. What that portends for the ratings for Lost in Space is beyond the foresight of this blog. But hey, the plausibility of that series was already next to zero.

While you’re reading about all this week’s future-related news, don’t forget that you can subscribe to Seeking Delphi™ podcasts on iTunes, PlayerFM, or YouTube(audio with slide show) and you can also follow us on Twitter and Facebook

“The universe is under no obligation to make sense to you.”–Neil DeGrasse Tyson

“This is the way the world ends. With a whimper, not a bang.”–TS Eliot

NDT is absolutley correct, but TS Eliot? Maybe not so much. The latest theory of how the universe will end is most decidedly with a bang: a second big bang, to be precise. But it’s probably a few trillion years in the future–assuming the math is correct.

While you’re reading about all this week’s future-related news, don’t forget that you can subscribe to Seeking Delphi™ podcasts on iTunes, PlayerFM, or YouTube(audio with slide show) and you can also follow us on Twitter and Facebook

Cosmology–According to a new Harvard study, the universe might end with a second big bang, caused by changes to the Higgs Boson. While the process may have already begun in some distant galaxy, it’s most likely to occur trillions of years in the future. So return those overdue library books now.

“If you die in an elevator, be sure to push the Up button.”–Sam Levenson

On more than one occasion, I have traveled in an elevator that could move horizontally as well as vertically. How did I manage that? It turns out I was dreaming–and I must admit I experienced a bit of a disappointment when I woke up. Honestly, the feeling of moving sideways in an elevator was just, well, cool. Now, though, a new technology might actually make that feeling possible.

“We wanted flying cars. Instead we got 140 characters.”–Peter Thiel

“Flying is learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss.”–Douglas Adams

The PAL-V flying car prototype

It appears that Peter Thiel might get his flying car by this time next year. Oh, there’s just one problem though. If you want one, you’ll have to be as rich as Peter Thiel, as they won’t exactly be cheap. In fact you can buy a single engine Cessna for much less. In any case, let’s hope the drivers miss when they throw themselves at the ground.

Neural Networks/Quantum Computing–The US Air Force and IBM are collaborating on a venture to build the world’s first supercomputer to be based on human brain architecture. The device, employing IBM’s True North neurosynaptic technology, will have the equivalent of five million neurons and 16 billion synapses. In case you’re worried about being replaced, the human brain has about 100 billion neurons and one quadrillion ( 1015 ) synapses.

“The reasonable man adapts himself to the world: the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man.”–George Bernard Shaw

If ever there was a definition of Shaw’s unreasonable man, in two short words, it would be: Elon Musk. The man continues his unrelenting, unreasonable march toward a drastically different future for humanity. This week, he revealed his plans for a $200,000 ticket to Mars. Next week? It’s bound to be something new.

Mars/Space Colonization–Elon Musk’s SpaceX published its Mars colonization plans online. Through a variety of cost saving measures, they aim to bring down the cost of launching mass into space by some 5 million per cent–a $200,000 one-way ticket for colonists is what that initially adds up to. They believe that a self-sustaining colony will need a population of at least 1 million people–an effort that will require thousands of spacecraft and several decades to accomplish.

Solar/Alternative Energy–A research team at Melbourne Institute of Technology has developed a paint that can generate hydrogen fuel. They believe it could be commercialized within five years. Maybe that Tesla won’t need a refueling station after all. (see video below)